Main Street mainstay stays on Main
Carpet Maven moves two doors down to bigger location
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

KATHY CHANG Sherri Schwartz [r], who has owned the Carpet Maven with her husband, Leon, for 18 years, shows customers some of their thousands of color pallets of carpet at their mom-and-pop store on Main Street in downtown Woodbridge.

WOODBRIDGE - Leon and Sherri Schwartz don't plan to leave Woodbridge Main Street anytime soon.

For the third time in 18 years, Leon and Sherri Schwartz have moved their mom-and-pop store, Carpet Maven, into a bigger space on Main Street.

"Our first store was very small," said Leon Schwartz, who has been in the floor-covering business since 1980. "Then eight years ago as our business started to grow, we moved into another store, which was bigger than the first one. And now, we have outgrown that store and have moved into an even bigger place two doors down, which is more comfortable and more professional looking."

As their business started to grow, the Schwartz family started to grow as well. They welcomed their baby daughter, Morissa Schwartz, in 1992, who has been working with her parents since she was 1 week old.

"We brought her to the store and set up a little playpen for her, and she has been here with us ever since," said Sherri Schwartz. "Now she has a television and a couch in the back instead of the playpen," added Leon.

The Schwartzes, who grew up in Woodbridge, had plenty of opportunities to relocate off Main Street into a bigger store, but have decided to stay on Main Street.

"We wanted to continue that feel where we knew everybody who came into our store, and they knew us," said Leon Schwartz. "This is our hometown. We wanted to stay a mom-and-pop store and due to our personalized service, professional flooring and carpet technicians, we have a good business reputation."

"We love Main Street and going to the fun, vibrant and ethnic restaurants and shopping around the different stores," added Sherri Schwartz. "We stayed here because this is who we are. We have met so many personal friends. We know about their families and they know about ours."

Leon Schwartz added that they even have generations of customers.

"There are two sets of families who were our customers, and their children got married and they became our customers as well," he said. "We remembered them as little kids."

Food shopping has become a three-hour excursion for the Schwartz family.

"We run into so many people that we know," said Sherri Schwartz.

Besides having their business Carpet Maven, the Schwartzes have been involved with the Woodbridge Chamber of Commerce and host the Downtown Cruise Nights during the summer.

"We are very involved with the community," said Sherri Schwartz. "Portions of the proceeds from the cruise night go out to different local charities, which include Buddy Ball, various soup kitchens and food pantries, and the Sailors Monument. We also decorate our store during holidays - it's fun for the kids."

Carpet Maven is a complete floor-covering store and also does window treatments.

"We have thousands of color pallets for commercial and residential uses," said Leon Schwartz. "We have ceramic and vinyl tile as well, patterned and printed carpets, specialized carpets, and customized work can be done. All measuring is done by me personally and installations are done by our three installers."

Leon Schwartz said since they don't have a lot of employees, they keep their prices more than competitive.

"Customers can get a better price here and get better quality ... we don't skimp," he said. "We remove old carpet for the customer and vacuum. We are neat and professional just like we would want done for us, and our family and friends."

Carpet Maven is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (732) 855-0494.